China Solid Wood Flooring Exports Soar
Exports of solid wood flooring from China rose 18 percent to 328,100 metric tons during the first nine months of 2010, according to the International Tropical Timber Organization. These exports are valued at $499 million, a 15 percent increase over the value of solid wood flooring exports during the same period in 2009. Likewise, exports of wood veneer from China increased 32 percent to 83,000 metric tons, and increased 22 percent in value to $156 million. The report containing these figures can be viewed here. Exports of plywood, fiberboard and sawnwood also saw sharp increases, while China's log imports surged upward 23 percent.
NAW Releases Ninth Edition of Acclaimed Report
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors's (NAW) Institute for Distribution Excellence has released the ninth edition of its acclaimed report about wholesale distribution strategy. "Facing the Forces of Change: Decisive Actions for an Uncertain Economy" provides wholesaler-distributors, suppliers and customers with insights into business and economic trends affecting the industry through 2015. The report also outlines strategies wholesale distributors can use in response to the most recent recession. For ordering information, visit www.naw.org/ftf10 or call Samantha Ager at 202/872-0885. Guy Blissett, the author of the report, will review his findings during the NAW 2011 Executive Summit, which will be held Jan. 25-27 in Washington, D.C.
Rediscovered Doug Fir Floor Star of Restoration
Official records said the wood floor was gone, but Barbara Ockel isn't one to take much at face value. In March 2010 Ockel, interim managing director at the Bayview Opera House, inspected a crawlspace underneath the venue's stage. With a flashlight, she spied planks of a 122-year-old, 3,000-square-foot Douglas fir floor that records showed to have been ripped out and replaced with linoleum. Turns out it was just covered up. In July she oversaw a $197,000 restoration at the concert hall, which included returning the wood floor to its former golden glory. "Removing that old floor, you can't even imagine-it's like the building breathes a sigh of relief," Ockel told SF Weekly. With the floor restored, Ockel is now working to make the opera house an entertainment destination once again. She hopes to revitalize the opera house and bring with it the long-neglected surrounding area.
Read the full story about this restoration and see a video about the floor at SF Weekly.
Flooring Dealer Acquired by Private Equity Firms
Affiliates of private equity firms Ares Management LLC (Los Angeles) and Freeman Spogli & Co. (Los Angeles) have purchased specialty floor covering retailer Floor and Décor Outlets of America (Atlanta) from private equity firms Najeti Ventures LLC (Southbury, Conn.), Saugatuck Capital Company (Wilton, Conn.) and TWJ Capital LLC (Stamford, Conn.), according to a press release.
The retailer offers ceramic, stone, wood and laminate flooring, as well as flooring installation tools, through 25 stores in 15 U.S. metropolitan markets and www.flooranddecoroutlets.com. Floor and Décor Outlets of America's stores typically range in size from 60,000-80,000 square feet and stock about 2,500 SKUs; the dealer's primary customers are homeowners and contractors.
With the purchase, Floor and Décor plans to accelerate its growth plans by opening new stores and breaching new markets. "We are delighted to partner with Ares and Freeman Spogli, whose capital base, network of relationships, and expertise in the retail and consumer industries will be an invaluable resource as we embark on a significant expansion of our geographic footprint," said Vincent West, CEO of Floor and Décor, in the release.
Distributor News
Lon Musolf Distributing Inc. has been named a distributor of Owens Flooring by Colonial Craft's (Shawano, Wis.) Plankfloor Solidly Engineered Flooring and Select Factory Finished Flooring lines in Minnesota. Lon Musolf will service these products from its Vadnais Heights, Min., and Eden Prairie, Min., locations.
By the Numbers
New Home Sales Took a Dive in October
Economic conditions again took their toll on new home sales, sending them downward 8.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 283,000 units in October, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Commerce; the revised September estimate was 308,000. October's decrease was the fourth in six months, and the current figure is 28.5 percent below the October 2009 estimate of 396,000.
Previously Owned Home Sales Fell in October
Amid weak demand, sales of previously owned single-family homes decreased 2 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.89 million from 3.97 million in September, according to the National Association of Realtors. Previously owned single-family home sales are 25.6 percent below a 5.23-million-unit surge during October 2009. Overall, previously owned home sales-including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops-declined 2.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.43 million in October from 4.53 million in September, and are 25.9 percent below the 5.98 million-unit level in October 2009. In October 2009, sales surged prior to the first deadline for the first-time buyer tax credit.
"The housing market is experiencing an uneven recovery," said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, "and a temporary foreclosure stoppage in some states is likely to have held back a number of completed sales. Still, sales activity is clearly off the bottom and is attempting to settle into normal sustainable levels. Based on current and improving job market conditions, and from attractive affordability conditions, sales should steadily improve to healthier levels of above 5 million by spring of next year."
Correction
In the members-only version of the Hardwood Floors 2011 Resource Book, the following inspectors should have been included in the list of NWFACP-certified inspectors:
Randy Barton........Barton's Custom Cleaning (El Reno, OK)
Patrick Burke........Burke Floor Inspections (St. Louis, MO)
Henri Carr........Floorcovering Solutions (Cumming, GA)
David Courtney........Courtney Bros. Floors (Pasadena, CA)
Steve Cudahy........Cudahy Connection Inc., The (Simi Valley, CA)
Mick Dale........Dale & Associates (Jacksonville, FL)
Dana DeVoe Jr.........Heartland Inspection Services (Olathe, KS)
Jonathan Dingler........Dingler Wood Floors (Deatsville, AL)
Rod Donkin........Enchanted Woods-Quality Hdwd Flrg (Saugus, CA)
Tom Elliott........Elliott & Associates Inspections (Toronto, ON)
Robert Frenzel........American Carpet South (Passaic, NJ)
Matt Gannon........Lockwood Flooring (Davenport, IA)
John Griffiths........John Griffiths Hardwood Flooring (Charleston, SC)
Andrew Linford........Above Board Wood Flooring (Mooresville, NC)
Anthony Magaro........Mr. Sandman Inc. (Camp Hill, PA)
Tracy Maslanka........Midwest Wood Floor Supply Co. (Lees Summit, MO)
Bill Matney........Trinity Hardwood Dist Inc. (Cypress, TX)
Carl Mattingly........Mattingly & Sons Fine Hardwood Floors (Concord, CA)
Robert McNealy........Natural Wood Floors (Aurora, CO)
Robert Pelletier........Mercier Wood Flooring (Montmagny, QC)
Paul Reinhart........Reinhart Wood Floors LLC/Allgeier Flrg. Co. LLC (Louisville, KY)
James Ritchie........Ritchie Hardwood Floors (Orange, CA)
Thomas Smith........Thomas M. Smith (Banning, CA)
John St. Clair........J.S. Inspections (Roanoke, VA)
Michael Steele........Floors Inc. (Smith Station, AL)
Roy Veerkamp........Huron Flooring Ltd. (London, ON)
Christopher Wall........Christopher Wall (Fuquay Varina, NC)
Tim Yarbrough........Long Floor (Richmond, VA)
Mark Your Calendar
Lon Musolf Distributing Inc will hold its Lon Gives Back campaign Nov. 29-Dec. 15. The distributor will collect new toys, gift cards and non-perishable food items at its Vadnais Heights, Min., and Eden Prairie, Min., locations, and customers who contribute to the effort will receive a coupon for a discount off of their next purchase. The goods will be distributed to local families Dec. 18. For more information, call 651/484-3020.
Basic Coatings (Toledo, Ohio), 3M (St. Paul) and Powernail Company Inc. (Lake Zurich, Ill.) will host an Install, Sand and Finish school Jan. 17-20 in Toledo. Cost for the school is $499, which includes lodging, meals and transportation from the airport. Space is limited and all registrations must be completed by Dec. 15. For more details or to register, contact Kellie Smithson at [email protected] or 419/725-3798.
Network with Peers, Win 3M Products
This Week on the HF Blogs
Green Blog: Elizabeth tells us about forest management in Malaysia.
Inspector Blog: Craig's got food on the brain.
HF Forum: How do those moisture conversions work for bamboo flooring?
NWFA Member Services
Dates have been set for NWFACP's 2011 schools. Certified Wood Flooring Inspector Schools will be held March 21-24 at the NWFA's new training facility in Las Vegas, and on Sept. 19-22 at the NWFA's international headquarters in St. Louis. The Certified Wood Flooring Inspector Test will be offered immediately following each school, on March 25 in Las Vegas, and on Sept. 23 in St. Louis. The cost to attend the schools is $1,495 for NWFA members. The cost to take the test is $250 for NWFA members. For more information about the schools or tests, contact NWFACP at 866/418-5408 (USA) or 636/728-1922 (International).
